August 25, 2011
Briton Heather Watson will play Maria Sharapova in her first-ever match at the US Open next week.
Watson, who won the junior title at Flushing Meadows in 2009, was drawn against the former champion on Thursday.
It was one of the toughest possible draws for the teenager, with the third seed well fancied for another crack at the title having won the warm-up tournament in Cincinnati last weekend.
Further down the line, Sharapova could meet Petra Kvitova again in the quarter-finals in what would be a repeat of the Wimbledon final.
Kvitova caused an upset in July when she beat the Russian in the SW19 decider.
Whoever progresses from that section could face second seed Vera Zvonareva, last year's runner-up, in the semi-finals.
In the top half, world number one Caroline Wozniacki will open against Nuria Llagostra Vives in the first round.
She is on course for a clash with French Open Li Na in the quarter-finals and Victoria Azarenka, the fourth seed, in the semis.
However, Azarenka was handed the toughest draw as title favourite Serena Williams landed in her section.
Azarenka and Williams will meet in the third round if they win their opening two matches.
Williams is only seeded 28th this year after missing much of the season due to injury but she has bounced back well in recent weeks, winning titles in Stanford and Toronto.
She could meet sister Venus Williams in the final after the elder of the siblings, unseeded after a slip down the rankings, was placed in the bottom half.
Venus avoided a seed in the first round. She plays Vesna Dolonts first up with a potential meeting with Zvonareva looming further down the line.
The other British main-draw entrants are Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong and they will play American Jamie Hampton and South African Chanelle Scheepers respectively.
Baltacha will be fancied to beat her wild-card opponent, although Keothavong, the world number 100, is ranked 18 places below her foe.
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